J.J. Watt retired from the National Football League following the 2022 season after spending 10 years in Houston and his final two years in Arizona. You might be wondering why we're talking about Watt on a Cincinnati Bengals site but don't worry, I'm getting there.
Watt is part owner of Burnley F.C., a soccer club in the EFL Championship, and last December struck a deal with the goalie of his club. James Trafford had messaged Watt before the end of the year and asked him if he'd come out of retirement to play for the Bengals to which the future Hall of Fame pass-rusher told him, "You don't allow a goal the rest of the season and it's a deal."
Watt probably figured the chances of a goalkeeper not allowing a goal were incredibly slim so what harm could this bet make? Well, nearly two months later and the bet is still live, as Trafford has not surrendered a single goal since the conversation took place.
Watt joked in mid-January that the bet was "starting to become a bit of a concern", sharing the screen shot on X. A few days ago, he shared the latest Burnley result on his social media and said he was going to start hitting the gym. The next day, Watt posted screen grabs of a house he was looking at in Cincinnati, noting, "Didn't think we'd make it this far...".
Bengals could benefit from goalkeeper playing out of his mind
Trafford has not allowed a goal since December 21, which is absolutely insane. That's been two months without surrendering a goal but Burnley has two more months worth of games so it'll be a near-impossible task for Trafford to continue this trajectory.
Even if he did, it's doubtful that Watt would hold up his end of the bargain (and he made the bet knowing that it wouldn't happen), as he appears to truly be enjoying retired life with his wife and son. He also experienced his fair share of injuries during his decade-long career and probably isn't too keen on returning to that life.
That being said, it'd be fun to see Watt put on the pads and helmet again, especially for the Bengals. Cincinnati could use some pass-rushing help too and Watt is only two seasons removed from notching 12.5 sacks during his final year with the Cardinals. He won't be returning to the NFL because this bet won't end up going in that direction but this is still a fun story to follow along with.
Who would have thought that Bengals fans would become so invested in Burnley F.C.?